There is a constant burning sensation down below, one that becomes worse if I lay down and can be slightly (yet temporarily) relieved if I masturbate externally (I am female). Assuming that works only because the urethral opening is so close to the clitoris. I feel a constant need to urinate, with nothing able to come out. If I try to pee when I know (and I know because this happens to me all too often) that I really don't "need" to, it burns even more. I can't sleep...my eyes are so tired but not tired enough to ignore my symptoms. I have had what I assume are UTI's or bladder infections about once every 2 or 3 months for as long as I can remember. I have been to doctors in the past but their lack of assistance has annoyed me to the point that I have just figured out my own way of dealing with them. I usually just take over-the-counter Azo until the feeling is completely gone (a few days, normally). When I was pregnant with my 2nd child, worried about taking medicine, I discovered that drinking a bunch of water (2 bottles) at once and then waiting until I had to urinate did the trick. Long before any pregnancies, my first trip to the doctor for this problem resulted in a prescription of the equivalent of the Azo, so I thought it a waste of time. I wasn't put on antibiotics because there was no bacteria in my urine; the doctor wasn't sure what was causing the pain. Once, however, when it got really bad and the little brown pills didn't even help, I went to another doctor. At first, he said there was bacteria in my urine & gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, which I went home and took. That didn't help, so I went back. They tested my urine and found nothing, but the doctor said he was going to give me a stronger antibiotic anyway to see if that would do any better. That didn't help either. I didn't go back to see him because I just thought I was wasting my time again. Well, fastforward to now, the brown pills don't work, prescription Ibuprofen doesn't work, drinking a crap load of water doesn't work (and I already drink 8-10 bottles a day). It hit me early Wednesday morning at around 2:30am. I was up most of the night, tried my own methods Wednesday day & night, then finally decided I'd see the doctor on Thursday. I got the same "I know better than you, you don't know what you're talking about" attitude as always. I tried to explain my past with these symptoms but I was just ushered out with a prescription for that same darn antibiotic that didn't work last time and no hopes of immediate relief for my major discomfort. Well, now it's 6am on Monday morning and I've been up since 3:30am, unable to sleep! I am going crazy here! All I find online is that I have a UTI, but the frequency of this happening is ridiculous! Between this, my RLS, and the equally annoying exercise induced asthma, I feel like I am going to go insane! I can't sleep, I can't pee, and when I get on my bike to take my mind off of these things, I feel short of breath if my heart rate gets too high! If I could find a way to manage this most annoying of the 3 problems, I'd be so grateful!

5 Replies:

It's awful - I know all about it! I used to get a lot of bladder infections when on the pill, and have had none for years. The key thing that is not typically mentioned is that Candida yeast is a major factor in these cases. Basically, avoid sugar like the plague - including alcohol and juices, and take omega 3 (flax oil capsules, normally 2 x 2/day), and focus on small portions of protein (fish, meat, eggs, seeds/nuts) and vegetables. Make your own dressings and commercial ones are loaded with sugar. All the best, Karen

I am not sure what Azo is but it is not fixing the problem. You have a bladder infection and it sounds like it is just getting worse then slightly better only to get worse again. If you don't get it treated correctly you will end up having the infection go to your kidneys. Your doctor needs to get you on antibiotics and you have to take the full treatment of them. If the infection comes back then you need to see a urologist. I had this issue. No bladder infections for years then suddenly i get one after another. The family doctor referred me and put me on long term antibiotics while it was investigated. I saw 4 specialists and was on antibiotics (low dose) for 2 years. I was finally operated on for a bladder lift. If the bladder has been stretched and stuff, like from pregnancies, it can cause the opening to enlarge and bacteria can enter the bladder very easily causing infections. Bladder lift can fix it.Hope this helps

Possibly you are not receiving the correct medication or taking medication the length of time you should. Sounds to me if you maybe have interstitial cystitis. This is much more difficult to manage. I had to take antibiotics for 6 months to eradicate the infection. Of course, you need to see a doctor who treats this condition and goes the extra mile since you are not getting well.

Go to a good Urologist now! Sounds like you may be having a chronic UTI flare up! Easy to diagnose, and if that isn't it then he/she (Urologist) should be able to diagnose and treat. But do this now, before your condition possibly worsens.